


June Blooms

by dhriddles



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Forced Proximity, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Minor Character Death, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Tags May Change, Time Travel, Tom Riddle is His Own Warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-28 03:35:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30133392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dhriddles/pseuds/dhriddles
Summary: The battle has finally ended, and Hermione thinks she can cry with the joy of it, until a thunderous clap and a blazing light enveloped the ruins of the castle, and all she could feel was unbearable, treacherous heat.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Tom Riddle
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	1. Blazing Light

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first attempt at making a long fic, so please bear with me.
> 
> A few disclaimers before I go on:
> 
> 1) The tags are subject to change based on the direction the story would go. I have a basic outline but it's still subject to change depending on what I think is appropriate for the story.
> 
> 2) There will be some mentions of violence in this fic, and Tom will not be all fluffy sunshine and rainbows - Tom is still Tom. I would like to reiterate that, Tom Riddle is his own warning.
> 
> 3) Last but not the least, I do not own the Harry Potter franchise, unfortunately. So all characters in the fic are J.K. Rowling's and Warner Studio's and not mine, unless stated otherwise and/or it is obvious that they are an original character. I don't know if I'll actually move forward with making an original character but it's something I'm considering.
> 
> Enjoy the fic! Stay safe and take care <3
> 
> -Emma

The Great Hall’s ceiling had been filled with false stars as the fight raged on around me. If I had the nerve to simply look up and ignore everything, I would have died by now. If I had the time to think, I would have thought about the irony of being willing to die for our cause while fighting so desperately not to.

And I found myself trying to search for red hair in a sea of masked men and black cloaks, or startling bright green eyes through the haze of green light. And I tried to choke down the feeling of a wrench through my soul every time I used that spell, every time I used a slicing spell through someone.

I tried to ignore the faces of my classmates staring up at me unseeingly, tried to choke down the bile racing its way up my throat and _reminded myself that we were finally at the finale, this is how it ends_ as I fend off the two Death Eaters finding my way.

 _Sectumsempra!_ And the masked man fell down to his knees at my feet, wand forgotten behind him and grasping at his throat trying to push the blood back in. It was a useless endeavor – I was sure he would die, eventually, from the curse.

I focused my energy back on the man in front of me, an _avada_ leaving my wand. I felt another tear at my soul as he fell down to the ground, and I gasped out loud from the feel of it, wrenching myself away from their dead bodies as light filled the Great Hall.

The entire hall gasped as the green light rebounded upon it’s caster, and Harry Potter caught the Elder Wand between his fingertips. And I think I should have felt relief washing over me, or the weight of the world coming off of my shoulders – something other than complete _nothingness_ , the void in my chest becoming bigger and bigger as a muffled scream of _Hermione! Hermione Hermione Hermione Hermione Hermione_ reached my ears as I fell to the ground.

Ron caught me – finally, he caught me. I looked up at his freckled face as light filled the Great Hall, my eyes burning with the intensity of it as my heart rate sped up and then slowed down again, and I fell into the rageful, treacherous heat.

* * *

Here, in the space between life and death, she could hear voices – spaces from where I should be and spaces from where I should go to, faint hums of _she is not ready to come here, she has not served her purpose yet_.

_What should we do about the boy?_

_Hermione, please wake up._

_He is not supposed to be here!_

_She’s exhausted her magical core._

_It was in self defense – the ministry understands._

_What is_ he _doing here?_

“What do you think your purpose is, Hermione?” somebody whispered into her ear. “What do you think you should do with all of that rage, that _passion_? That _anger_?”

“You are absolute.” They said. “You could have the world at your fingertips. All you have to do, darling, _is to ask._ ”

* * *

When I woke up, there was daylight streaming through my windowpane. I could not open my eyes fully, and I felt this pull towards the ground, something substantial and real and _warm_ , as I tried to move my body upright.

There was something to be said about the feeling of being weak. It was something that I never was, something I did not allow myself to be. Now, I had no control over it but to simply hope someone would come along and notice me _struggling_.

“ _Urghhhh…_ ” I said, my voice pitifully raspy and my throat scratchy and dry. I tried to turn my stiff head to the side, to see Harry sleeping in a chair next to me, grasping my hand. “ _Haaaaar… Harrr…. ry…_ ”

I tried to grasp my hand tighter around his, tried to make him notice that I was here, I was awake. I did not know how long I had been asleep for – for all I knew, it could have been ten days or ten hours. I felt so weak, so shameful.

He stirred awake, yawned for a moment and then looked at me with startled green eyes. “ _Harrr…ry…_ ” I said, coughing up something miserable.

“Hermione! Hermione you’re awake.” He said, pushing his glasses up his nose. “We thought – well, the healer said that you’d be fine, really, but I’m so glad you’re awake.”

Harry rubbed his eyes, and groaned a sigh of relief inwardly. I look at the ceiling and tried to clear up my mind, wondering how he must feel now without the weight of the world on his shoulders. I wonder how _I_ should feel now that I have nothing to lose, but instead all I felt was a searing, aching pain lancing through my chest.

“ _Hoowww… Hoooww’re you… f-feeling, Harrryy?_ ” I wheezed, willing my voice to follow my brain. Harry merely chuckled briefly and kissed my hand.

“You’ve been unconscious for four days and you’re asking me how _I_ feel?” He helped me sit up and handed me a glass of water. I nodded, getting dizzy over the small movement.

He scoffed. “I’m feeling… well, better now that you’re awake, actually.” He sighed. “We’ll talk more about it when you can… actually talk. For now, you should probably drink the water I gave you.”

I drank small sips from the glass of water he gave me, and looked around the room as he watched me drink all of it. I handed the glass back to him after the last sip, and looked at him expectantly.

“Done.” I said, my throat feeling marginally less scratchy. “What… happened?”

Harry sighed and gave me a vial of potion. I looked at him inquisitively, and he rolled his eyes and said, “Strengthening potion, since you passed out of exhaustion.”

“Obviously.” I said.

“Obviously.” Harry smirked. “The main thing is… we rather…” He pursed his lips. “We have some things to discuss… later. A lot of things happened after you… you know.”

“After I collapsed?” I said, raising an eyebrow. Harry snorted.

“Yeah, that.”

“I don’t understand.” I replied, downing the potion in one go and giving it back to Harry. He placed it on my bedside table, and looked towards the wooden door going out of my room.

I blinked. “If you… don’t want to talk to me about it right now, then maybe –“

He looked back at me. “No, it’s not that. It’s just that…”

“Just that… what?”

He slumped down against his chair, grasped my hand once more and put it up against his lips. I think I might just slap using sheer willpower if he didn’t tell me right this second.

“Well… what?” I asked expectantly.

He rolled his eyes. “We’ll talk about it once you’re better.”

“How about…” I coughed into my fist. He frowned down at me. “…now?”

“You can barely _talk_ , Hermione.” He said, frowning.

“You’re going to… do most… of the talking.” I countered.

“No, Hermione.”

“I want to know what’s bothering you.”

“Not right now.” He hissed, glaring at me now.

“Why not?”

“You’re not ready to have this conversation.” He dropped my hand and looked away from me. I sighed, staring up at the unpainted ceiling again.

“Is it about… Ginny?” I asked, looking at him inquisitively.

He scowled and looked down at me, poking my cheek. “No, it’s much _much_ worse than that.”

“Tell me then, so I can help you fix it.” I forced my voice not to waver, although it still sounded like I ate a pound of ash.

“Rest. I’ll tell you when you feel better.” He handed me another potion. “Sleeping potion.” He explained.

“You want to knock me out again, Harry?” I raised an eyebrow, but took the potion anyways.

He smirked. “Doctor’s orders, Hermione.” He said, running his hands through his hair. “Sweet dreams.”

I fell asleep as he left the room.

* * *

_“You have dreams, don’t you?”_ He whispered in the night. “ _You want to be someone, do something. I can help you. I’ll give you anything at all, just ask it of me._ ”

* * *

The next time I woke up, Harry and Ron were playing chess in my room. I had tried to ask them to tell me what had happened, but they said we still needed to wait for news from the outside. I could not shake the feeling that they were just stalling on this – and what the hell is _outside_? Where were we? They would not tell me _anything_.

“What are you waiting for?” I asked, feeling considerably more rested. “What’s so important?”

They ignored me.

“Arseholes.”

“Hey! I heard that.” Ron exclaimed, flicking a pawn my way. I batted it away with my hand, chuckling. “We told you… we have to wait for news.”

“From whom?” He dropped his gaze back to the chessboard. I rolled my eyes and looked at Harry, who suddenly appeared very interested at observing the god-awful tapestry of Merlin on the wall. “Harry?”

“Yes, Hermione?” He said innocently.

I glared at him. “From _whom_?”

He blinked, and shook his head. “You’ll know soon enough.”

“Whoever it is, it can’t be _that_ bad.” I reasoned, crossing my arms. He gulped.

“Well… uhm…” he looked at Ron, who simply scratched behind his neck and shrugged.

“ _Well, uhm,_ what?” I asked, looking at them.

Harry wrung his hands. “It’s complicated…” Ron glared at him and shook his head, mouthing no. Harry ignored him.

“Complicated… how?’’ I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Harry bit his lip. “Well it’s – “

I felt the wards shift around us like a crawling under my skin. I looked at Harry curiously. “Is that them?”

He coughed, flushed, and then stood up, excusing himself as he raced out the door. Ron stared after him and rolled his eyes.

Honestly, these boys.

Ron tidied up the chessboard and moved his chair towards my bed. “Okay, now before you freak out… don’t… freak out?”

“Don’t freak out?” I asked blandly. “You’re literally not telling me _anything_.”

He shrugged. “Well when you meet him, you’re going to understand _why,_ yeah?” He said simply, pouring out some water from a plain porcelain pitcher. “Keep… an open mind.”

“And open mind…” I glared at him as he helped me sit up and handed me the glass of water. “Surely, it can’t be that bad?”

“Oh, it’s – it’s bad, alright.” He chuckled weakly and slouched against his seat. I could hear footsteps heading towards the room.

“How come you’re so… calm, about this?”

He shrugged. “You can’t tell me you didn’t see it coming, honestly.”

The door opened, and Harry came in with a hassled looking blonde.

I put my face into my hands and rubbed _hard_.

“Hey, Granger.” Draco Malfoy said, smirking.


	2. Floret cana mori

“You boys have a _lot_ of explaining to do.” I said, glaring at Harry and Ron imperiously. This _had_ to be some sort of sick joke.

Malfoy looked at me strangely and then looked at Harry and Ron. “I told them not to tell you, honestly.” I turned my attention to him. The fact that they’ve been acting under Malfoy’s orders didn’t exactly put a balm on my senses, and I would have given anything to put a fist through this idiotic poncy little shite’s mouth. “They’ve been… well, I didn’t exactly trust them to explain fully.”

“What do you mean you don’t trust them to explain fully?” I demanded, crossing my arms. “I’m sure they’re fully capable of explaining why we’re _here_.”

“And I’m sure you already have a gist of why you’re here.” Malfoy shrugged. “I’m merely here to explain more.”

“You’re a _Death Eater_.” I hissed, and his face remained stoic. He was truly an idiot if he thought I would trust any account of events _he_ would give me. “Give me _one good reason_ I should trust you.”

Malfoy looked at me angrily and glared at Harry and Ron. “Leave.” He hissed.

Fear lanced through me like a knife as they both looked at Draco and nodded. I sat up straighter on the bed, and then glared at Harry and Ron as they made a move for the door. “You’re just going to leave me here? With _him_?”

 _Bloody fucking traitors!_ I added in my mind. 

Ron looked at the floor, but Harry looked straight at me, never wavering. “Yes.” He said. “You’ll understand in due time.”

They left the room and closed the door behind them, but left it unlocked. I tried to calculate the amount of energy or sheer willpower it would get me to run outside the room if Malfoy was going to try to kill me. I wasn’t even sure I could _stand up_.

Malfoy leaned his back against the closed door, looking at me. I looked away, feeling distinctly uncomfortable with the way his gaze seemed to see right through me. Uncomfortable to be left alone with him in this room, knowing he was able to spot just _how_ uneasy I was around him from a mile away, but I simply looked out the window and thought about how Harry and Ron left me alone with what was apparently a reformed Draco Malfoy. I hoped.

No wonder they wouldn’t tell me. _Cowards._

But still, something inside of me felt compelled to ask _why_ he was here, and wanted to hear his explanation. It would surely explain why Harry felt so sure I would be safe here, why Ron had seemed so convinced that _it was only a matter of time_ – whatever that was.

“Granger.” Malfoy started. I turned towards him, but didn’t reply. He just stared straight at me, unwavering, like Harry. “I know you have some questions. Something to say?”

“I have nothing to say to a coward like you.” I seethed.

He scowled. “Ask me.” He goaded. “Or would you rather not know anything at all? After all, I _am_ the only one who could ever tell you.”

The purplish sheen of the Fidelius charms winked at me from where I was sat on the bed, I fought back the urge to scream - or throw up, whichever came first.

He walked towards the window I was staring out of, glaring at me imperiously. And he must have come to realize what I was seeing, as he slowly smirked, looking at the very wards I was inspecting, the ones enclosing the grounds. “Do you see that, Granger? You know what it means, don’t you? You know what those are?”

I tore my gaze away from the window and stared straight at him, unwilling to play along with his smart tone. “Wards, obviously.”

He hummed. “Yes, _obviously_. You’re an expert at wards, yes? Managed to escape the Dark Lord’s notice because of them?”

I scowled. “ _Yes._ ” I hissed, looking towards the window again. _And I know what these ones are._

“Say it then.” Malfoy hissed, slowly moving towards me. I stared up at him from where I was sitting up against my bed. “Tell me what those wards _are._ ”

“You know what they are.” I said stubbornly, refusing to flinch even as I sounded like a child to my own ears.

“Then you would know that I’m the Secret Keeper, yes?” He said, smirking. “And you would know this is a safe house?”

“Yes.” I hissed. “But that doesn’t explain why you’re _here_.”

The smirk abruptly left his face, leaving a haunted, grief-filled expression. He stared at me, as if accusing me of being callous. _Why are you here?_

“During sixth year, I turned towards Snape to help me find a place within Dumbledore’s ranks.” He said, staring directly at me. I didn’t let myself turn away. “I asked him to keep me safe, explained the situation… I did it to protect my family.”

“Dumbledore wouldn’t have ever had you.” I said. “You’re beyond saving.”

He chuckled, even as I was still shocked at how harsh the words sounded coming out of my mouth. “Oh, he absolutely did. Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him so I wouldn’t tarnish my apparently unbroken soul. Or did _Potter_ ,” He hissed out the name like it was acid from his mouth. “never tell you?”

“He hasn’t told me anything. He said to wait for _you_.”

He ignored me and turned away. “It didn’t help. Both of my parents are dead now, anyways. They died in the battle. And instead of offering me safety, he just made me into something I already was. A soldier. A tool. I’m glad the old fool is dead.”

I thought that perhaps I would have told him that he did the right thing by going to Dumbledore, _finally did the right thing by going to Dumbledore, didn’t you? But it didn’t change a single fucking thing_ \- perhaps I would have told him that if I’d known where my parents were now, or if they still made pancakes on Monday mornings and listened to news on the radio on the weekends. It was on the tip of my tongue, but I bit down my pride.

“I’m sorry.” I said, even though I didn’t mean it. I hadn’t known much about Lucius and Narcissa other than what everyone else knew, and chandeliers spilling crystals unto bloodstained parquet flooring. I pushed that thought aside.

“Don’t be.” He said, crossing his arms. He cleared his throat. “Anyway, that’s why I’m here. I’m possibly the strongest occlumens in the Order, and I was the only one who could escort you lot to a safehouse after…” _After Snape died_ , I thought, but he didn’t say that. “...after the Battle.”

“I don’t understand.” I said, looking at him intently. He turned towards me, arms still crossed. “Why would we need to come here? The war is over.”

He cocked his head to the side. “It is. But the battles still rage on.”

“But they don’t have a master, he’s dead.” I said weakly.

He looked at me with a strange expression on his face. “That’s the other thing, Granger.” He pursed his lips. “We have another problem here.”

I didn’t reply, not following, and so he continued. “After You-Know-Who fell, there was… a change in the school’s magic. We’ve been trying to figure out what happened during the past several days, but the only record of this ever happening were during catastrophic events such as the great wizarding wars and castle sieges.”

“I don’t get your point. How is this relevant to the battles?” I bit my lip, and exhaled slowly. Not being able to help myself, “But… there was a battle. Maybe the sheer amount of magical energy emitted was enough to trigger an event? It would seem likely, especially since Voldemort -” He flinched. “– was still recognized by the school as an heir.”

Draco shook his head. “There were always rituals involved, and this time there wasn’t.” He said simply. “Not that we know of, anyways. But it wasn’t the ritual itself that did the castle damage.”

“I don’t understand.”

“When you collapsed, there was a bright light.” He sighed. “Nobody else knows except for the four of us here what _actually_ happened, but that’s why all three of you are here with me. He’s been magically restrained but I wouldn’t put it pass him to find a way around that -”

“Wait, what? _He_?” My stomach dropped, bile rising up my throat.

Draco Malfoy sighed. “There was some research conducted at the school a few times in the past. Once in the 1500’s, the 1600’s, and the last one attempted in the 1800’s, but the documentation of these rituals went all the way back to the time of the founders. They were labeled under the title _floret cana mori_.” He paused and looked at me with the wary look of a man who was scared and tired. “Death blooms, crudely translated. The effects were never talked about in detail, in the case of people anyway, but the core magic of the castle was always affected in some way –”

“Just tell me.” I cut him off. “Tell me what happened.”

He looked at me intensely, grey eyes flashing with resolve. “You have to understand that you can’t just go and handle this situation with your usual Gryffindor bravado. It is _pertinent_ that you use your head – you cannot compromise yourself, and most importantly you cannot compromise everyone else.” He inhaled through his nose. “He told us, after some interrogation that he was… you are, rather – you are familiar to him.”

“Familiar to _who_ , Malfoy?” He just stared at me, eyes closed and lips pursed into a fine line. I already knew the answer, of course. Already felt the familiar feeling of being hunted, of _running_. “Draco.”

He exhaled, and opened his eyes. I thought they flashed green for a moment, the shock of it paralyzing me. “Tom Riddle has found his way here… and it seems like he is here for you.” 

* * *

“ _I have found you._ ” He whispered. “ _I see your heart, your mind, and your soul. I know it all, and I know you are mine…_ _and I am yours._ ”

* * *

“You kept him _here_?” I asked, trying to sit up as straight as I could as I pointed my finger at Harry, the blithering fool he is. “He could have _killed you_! God knows what kind of magic he knows how to do – it doesn’t matter if he’s seventeen or _seventy_ , he is dangerous!”

Harry glared at me and looked away, inhaling deeply. He exhaled, looking quite harassed.

 _Good._ I thought. _He should be_. “We are well aware of the risks. And don’t you think that because _we_ are the people who defeated him before, that _we_ should be the one to contain him?”

“We’re not _qualified_ to contain him, we haven’t even graduated yet.” I said, looking at Ron and then at Malfoy. “Surely you see how this plan is flawed?”

Ron gnawed at his lip. I felt myself flush with anger. “You’re joking… you really think this is the best course of action?”

He crossed his arms. “Actually, I was the one to suggest it.” He replied quietly.

The little _shite_.

“You insufferable – ”

“Hear them out.” Malfoy interjected gruffly, sitting on the chair near the foot of my bed, chin rested on top of interlocked fingers. “We’re not total idiots. At least, not with me here.”

I pointed my finger at him. “Just because I’m letting you _near me_ doesn’t mean _I trust you._ ” I said. They’ve all lost the fucking plot – literally just inviting one of the most dangerous men on the planet into an Order safehouse. He could find out our secrets, study our wards. It not only put us at risk, but dozens of other vulnerable people still needing these safehouses. It was not only irresponsible – it was completely reprehensible, it was –

“Hermione – ”

“This was so harebrained – even for our standards! He is one of the most dangerous men on Earth, and one of the most powerful wizards of his age. He could be studying just how to break through the wards at this moment. He could be finding out things about the future. It is simply _unspeakable_.”

“He’s been magically restrained.” Ron said, shifting around uncomfortably. Malfoy went pink, and Harry stared at the floor. “Malfoy knew how to do it from his training with… with the Death Eaters. We didn’t exactly _think_ about it.”

“Of course, because you _never_ think.” I hissed, glaring at the both of them.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ron asked defensively.

“It _means_ that the both of you make piss poor decisions that are sure to _chafe_ at a later time. It means that you brought the man that would grow up to be the Dark Lord into an Order safe house without contacting the Order – which, what the fuck do they think we’re even doing? We’ve been missing for _four whole days_.”

“Well you weren’t exactly around to make the said 'piss poor decisions,' weren’t you? If you’re so clever, then what would you have done? This is the best plan we could have come up without your _oh so great_ advice.”

“I would have called the Order – I would have tried to contact someone who had more experience in making these decisions instead of blindly assuming that we had the expertise to make them!”

“Well you weren’t around to make them! You were unconscious.”

“I’m well aware that I was unconscious, Ronald – and I’m very glad that you had the bright idea of calling a healer for me and coercing him into an _Unbreakable Vow_ , but not for the fucking _maniac_ the next room over!”

“Do they always bicker like this?” Malfoy asked, unamused, as he stared at Harry.

“Don’t step your foot into situations where you aren’t wanted.” I hissed at him, scowling. He rolled his eyes and pointed his wand to my chest.

“Either you don’t speak or I take the privilege away.” Malfoy hissed. Ron quickly put himself between him and me.

“Put your wand _away_ , Draco.” Harry said, raising his wand towards him.

Malfoy smirked, but didn’t put his wand away. “It’s Draco now, isn’t it?”

What the fuck?

Harry frowned. “What?”

Ron pulled out his wand discreetly from his pocket. I stayed quiet as he raised it, flicked it, and disarmed them both nonverbally. Their wands flew out of their hands and into Ron’s palms. I couldn’t help but feel impressed at the maturity he was showing as he quickly pocketed them both.

Harry whipped around and stared at Ron, as Draco stormed out of the room, grumbling under his breath. It seemed that even on the light side he was a snarky piece of horseshite.

I put my face into my hands due to the sheer frustration of it all when I suddenly realized that _Harry had just almost used his wand_ which was supposed to be _broken_.

“Where’s the Elder Wand…?” I asked, and Harry pursed his lips.

“In the Malfoy Vaults.” He said quietly, sitting down from the chair Malfoy had vacated. “He – he has helped the cause immensely. In more ways than we can possibly think of.”

I bit my lip and held in what I was sure was a reply that would start an argument.

Ron turned around to look at me. “Riddle’s been magically restrained.” He cocked his head towards Harry. “He did it with the Elder Wand, weaved it into a grounding spell. Riddle won’t be able to use magic while he’s here, and I hope you can trust us when we say that leaving _here_ is going to be quite difficult to do.”

I stared at Harry, and then back at Ron. “So he’s... he's here as a prisoner?” I asked dumbly, already knowing the answer.

Ron nodded. “Of course he is. What else would he be?”

“So we have to get him back to his time?”

“Yes.” He answered. “We just don’t know how to.”

* * *

“ _I can feel your soul so close to mine, so familiar._ ” He whispered, as phantoms caressed my cheek. “ _Come to me, darling._ ”

* * *

I stood up and walked to the door in the middle of the night. I had waited and made sure that the others were sleeping, knowing they would never let me near him if they could help it. I couldn’t help it. I could still remember Draco’s shaking voice as he told me _I_ was involved, somehow, and I knew I needed to know.

If they didn’t know, then I would search for the answers myself.

I opened my door, hoping it wouldn’t make a sound as I walked lightly on the floorboards towards the door I know to be _his._ I could feel his presence through the door, pulling me towards him. I did not trust it, and knew I shouldn’t, but it was so _familiar._

“ _Come to me darling_ …” The voice hissed. I halted mid-step, bit my lip and turned away, walking back to my room.

No, I would not go to you today.

* * *

“Surely, Azkaban is a safer place to put him in.” I asked them at the breakfast table the next morning. Malfoy stared at me with an eyebrow raised.

“You think it would be better if he was placed in a facility he had _broken people out of before_?” He asked incredulously. I bit my lip, and he smirked. “I thought so.”

I shook my head and stared into my coffee cup, fighting off the urge to punch him into oblivion. Self-assured fucking shitehead. “You better feel lucky I don’t have my wand, ferret boy.”

He scowled, but then rolled his eyes and clucked. “Thou shalt not bring up traumatic events at the breakfast table. Truly, Granger, you should learn some _manners._ ”

I seethed, but did not reply. I took a sip of my tea and put my face into my hands. They had not allowed me access to my wand even though it’s been upwards of five days without it. I could feel my magic rolling and boiling under my skin, but I pushed it aside, determined to ignore it for now. “I still can’t believe that you won’t give me my wand back.”

“You’re going to try to do magic.” Harry said, absentmindedly as he stirred his coffee. Ron only smiled at her but did not reply. She scowled because they had a point. “Doctor’s orders to hide it.”

“Doctor?” Malfoy asked, confused.

“Muggle healers.” Harry replied, then took a sip of his coffee.

“I want to talk to him.” I said, looking at all of them. “And I want to _get out of this house_.”

Malfoy let out a long suffering sigh and stood up to put his mug in the sink. Ron looked at her, confused. “You met him this morning.”

“And you’re free to walk around the grounds as long as you don’t go outside the wards.” Harry said, shrugging as he took another sip of his coffee.

“Not the Healer, Ron. Just… ugh!” I said, slamming my head unto the table. “I want to see Riddle.”

Ron immediately glowered. “Like hell you are.”

 _Funny of you to think you can stop me._ I thought. _This is merely a pleasantry before I go and try to do it myself._

“You think you can keep me from going in there?”

“You know that’s not what I meant, ‘Mione.”

“You do know he stays inside his room for a _reason_ , yes? It’s probably best that we stay away from that type of _conflict_.” Harry muttered, resting his head on his hand. “You’re bored, I get it.”

“There’s nothing to _do_.” I exclaimed. “I feel like we should be doing something. Getting some type of information out of him.”

“We tried that.” Ron said. “He won’t let up on anything.”

I huffed. “Then let _me_ try, too.”

Malfoy leaned against the side of the table and looked at me like I was a small child. “Granger, did you not hear me explaining the situation to you a few days ago?”

I smiled innocently up at him. “Maybe I couldn’t hear what you were saying through the haze of _fear_ in your voice, you fucking cunt!”

So maybe I was getting a little bit aggressive. He deserved it.

“Language, you uncouth simpleton.” He said, rolling his eyes. I scowled at him. “He said you were somehow _involved_ in all of this mess.”

“You think I had something to do with this?”

He ran his palm across the side of his cheek in a way that made the pinks of his eyes peek out from his lower eyelid. “I think that you should learn to use that gigantic head of yours usefully, yes? No, Granger – I meant that he wants something from you, obviously. He plans to… use you, in some way.”

“He doesn’t even _know_ me.” I said, huffing. “He’s from… what? 1944?”

“Precisely.” Harry said in a monotone voice.

“He _shouldn’t_ know you, but somehow he does.” Ron said quietly. “Said you felt… familiar.”

“Familiar.” I said, standing up and putting my coffee in the sink. “Familiar… well that’s… that's just fucking _ridiculous_.”

 _I can feel your soul so close to mine, so familiar._ I bit my lip and shook away my thoughts. Those were only dreams, after all.

* * *

“ _No one will ever know you as I do_.” He said. “ _They can only hope to._ ”


End file.
